Cosatu protest for improvements in South African economy

BURGERSFORT

The nationwide COSATU protest also took place in Sekhukhune on Thursday. The protected strike saw about 300 Cosatu members delivering memorandums at the Department of labour and the Tubatse mall in the Burgersfort CBD.

The workers protested against corruption, retrenchments, high levels of unemployment, gender-based violence, and what they call an attack on collective bargaining.
The march was also joined by Cosatu’s affiliates Samwu Sadtu, Popcru, Nehawu, NUM, Numsa, Samwu Sadtu, Cosatu Young Workers Forum and members from the ANC.

Speaking while handing the memorandum Popcru’s deputy secretary in Limpopo Nelson Maisela said Cosatu was demanding urgent action from policymakers in the government and the private sector to stop “the attacks” directed at workers.
“Both the public and the private sector have been blatantly undermining collective bargaining.

“We want the reversal of budget cuts that have led to an unacceptable wage freeze in the public service, the disintegration of the CCMA, and retrenchments in state-owned companies,” Maisela said.

The trade federation, which represents 1.8 million workers in South Africa, said they have also ordered the department of labour to pay out the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) money owed to workers.

“We want better and excellent services at our departments, if you cannot give good service, then you need to resign.”

The federation called for the government and private sector to do more, and to create more jobs. “There’s a lot of job losses and corruption. We want our government to take workers seriously.”

Sarah Lepogo from  Burgersfort Department of Labour received the memorandum, she promised to deliver it to the relevant authorities